In compliance with his recommendations, orders have been given to suspend the carriage of hutting materials to the front, so that many thousands of men Avill have to pass the winter under canvas, unless the huts be sent up before the bad weather sets in with severity. In fact, mules and carts were fast disappearing; I have been told that of the former not less than 1200 have perished or have been destroyed since the rains began, and I should be afraid to repeat the number given to me of carts, &c., broken down. The English pack saddles are described as being of most inferior construction and materials, and the carts and wagons are simply disgraceful to the contractors. Is there no way of punishing men who make a profit out of the public money, and still are not contented unless they cheat and weaken their country?
Colonel Wetherall has called a Board to inquire into the condition of carts, wagons, harness, pack saddles, and horses and mules. The effect of this will he to cause such as may he unfit for use to he condemned. Others will he supplied, that we may he in an efficient state next spring ^'hen the campaign opens. Not only is the carriage of hutting suspended, hut officers are ohliged to bring up the forage for their hat animals and horses from the divisional and other depots; and those who have gone home on urgent private affairs, and have left horses for the public service on the condition of the issue of rations of forage to them, are informed by a General Order that such issue will be suspended after the ist of January.
The railway will be handed over to the Commissariat on Monday next, and meantime the accumulations of stores at the depots are fast disappearing. General Windham proposes large alterations in the whole ti'ansport service, and next year it is not improbable that the corps will consist of nearly 20,000 men and 20,000 mules and horses. The recruiting officers might advantageously exert themselves to procure a better class of men than those recently sent out. The conduct of those who have just arrived in the " Ripon" was, on the voyage from England, very discreditable. On ]\Ionday a High Mass, at which many English officers attended, was performed on board the French flag-ship for the soul of Admiral Bruat. The decease of the Admiral has been learnt by our navy with sincere regret.
Before Sebastopol, December 15. The week has passed away without any change in the position, hut it has brought with it many rumours. The intelligence of the fall of Kars is now authenticated. It has caused a painful feeling, in spite of the prophecy that it Avill tend to peaceful solutions of the great " difficulty," inasmuch as it will soothe the pride of Russia, and enable her to offer one success as a counterpoise to the fall of Sebastopol and the victories on which that fall depended. There is a general indisposition to a campaign in Asia, of which there is now some talk, and both French and English would much rather match themselves against the Russians in Europe than fight so far away from home, where the results of victory are visible only to politicians.
It seems to be the opinion that the Turks are quite able to defend their Asiatic possessions, if they are permitted to do so. Cinticism on military matters by civilians is totally worthless when the questions agitated relate to the details of manoeuvres or to pm-e strategy, but military men cannot expect to be exempted from the criticism of civilians on general questions relative to the conduct of the war. Captain Smith may have his Grenadier company in perfect order and discipline, and may lead them with the greatest gallantry; but the civilian who from some eminence sees Captain Smith leading them into broken ground, filled with riflemen or swept with grape, where their order and discipline are of little service to them, is entitled to exclaim, " What a fool that fellow is!" Now that Kars has fallen, every one says, " What the deuce were Omar Pasha and his brave Turks doing so long towards Baidar, or encamped on the tumuli overlooking the plains of Balaklava and the English head-quarters?
Of what use were they so long as they were kept in transitu between Eupatoria and the Col of Balaklava, or on the tramp between Kamara and Phoros? Why was Kars allowed to fall, and why was Omar Pasha sent to Asia Minor so late in the year?" The defence of Kars was honourable, but so was the defence of Sebastopol, and Kars is not less Russian because it was won by so much of their best blood. The Tui'ks have been, indeed (according to the testimony of all acquainted with them), most miserably mismanaged and badly handled, and no use has been made of them except to garrison Eupatoria, which they would have been able to do with at most half of their army.